If you haven’t made any plans for summer yet, it’s time to get thinking and sort out what you’d like to do. Ask the kids what they want, and anyone else who’ll be part of your summer holiday activities, like Nanny and Grandad. The UK is an amazing place full of things to do and interesting places to visit, and the North East is one of the best parts of the country for scenery and visitor attractions.
Play farms
Kids always love seeing animals, and play farms are one of the best activities – especially for younger children. They can see and often stroke the animals, go for tractor rides, feed the lambs, collect eggs and watch the pigs snuffling through the grass. It’s a great way for them to learn more about where their food comes from, and there’s usually indoor activity barns and soft play options where they can let off steam – or shelter from a summer shower!
The seaside
Going to the beach has got to be one of the favourite summer destinations for families, and you can’t beat a paddle in the sea and some serious castle construction in the sand. The seaside has plenty more to offer than just that, though. The North East coast has some of the best rock-pooling beaches, with many fascinating species of sea creatures hiding under rocks and amongst the seaweed. There are some spectacular bird and seal colonies to observe, and the RSPB reserves along the coast are ideal locations for wildlife spotting. Plus of course the Sea Life Centre at Scarborough, which has an amazing collection of aquatic creatures and is situated very conveniently adjacent to the main beach and close to the town.
Going wild
Sometimes the best way to have fun with the kids is just to let yourself go and join in with them. Go for a “bear hunt” in Dalby Forest, explore the waterfalls on the Yorkshire Moors or spend a night under the stars on a camping adventure. You could all go for a mountain bike ride on the forest trails, or visit a trekking centre and explore the wilds on horseback. There’s always a chance you could get hurt, but as long as you’re careful and observe sensible safety precautions, your chances of injuring yourself are pretty low. If by any chance something does go wrong, take care of the injury and arrange for private hospital treatment if you’re able, to get the injured person up and about as soon as possible.
Castles and gardens
These may sound more like attractions for the parents, but castles, stately homes and ornamental gardens have gone to great efforts to include children’s activities in what they offer. The National Trust has many events taking place during the holidays geared towards kids, and they are committed to appealing to children as well as adults, so they have become a great option for summer fun.
Have a look through some of the many leaflets and brochures that are available and see what treasures you can find this summer.